Means for winding wire and other long flexible articles



1940- E. s. HARGREAVES El AL 2, 86,106

MEANS FOR WINDING WIRE AND OTHER LONG FLEXIBLE ARTICLES Filed May 5,1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 1.

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Jm 1940- s. HARGREAVES ET AL ,186,106

MEANS FOR WINDING WIRE AND OTHER LONG FLEXIBLE ARTICLES Filed May 5,1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 1a.. 6

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MEANS FOR WINDING WIRE AND OTHER LONG FLEXIBLE ARTICLES Filed May 5,1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig. 3.

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MEANS FOR WINDING WIRE AND QTHER LONG FLEXIBLE ARTICLES Filed May 5,1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 66 3 67 g E E 63 66 ,60 4 59 53 l v 26 6/1 O 5 J250 O O \1 v o o 2 54 VA A 55 I O F I fi lNVENTORS ATTOR/Vfyy PatentedJan. 9, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIEANS FOB, WINDDTG WIRE ANDOTHER LONG FLEXIBLE ARTICLES Application May 5, 1937, Serial No. 140,830In Great Britain May 14, 1936 Claims.

There are a number of machine operations in which a member such as wireor cord or other similar long flexible article is required tosbe woundup on a support in the course of delivery from the machine. Theseconditions exist, for instance, in a machine for drawing wire. The wirecoming from the last die is usually received on a block or spool whichis driven at the appropriate speed. When the block or spool contains therequisite quantity of wire the machine is stopped while the block isemptied, or while the full spool is, removed and an empty spoolsubstituted. This stoppage entails a waste oi time, both of the machineand of its operative,

and there is a risk of breaking the wire, particularly duringrestarting, as well as additional wear on the clutch or other startingdevice and on the dies and other parts due to the uneven running. Thisexample is given as a typical case.

In accordance with the invention it is proposed -to eliminate thedisadvantages indicated by arranging that the machine continues to runat a uniform rate while permitting the finished coil or spool tobecleared. There is, therefore, no need to stop the machine from thecommencement of operating until the supply of raw material is exhaustedor the desired total quantity oi wire has been produced. Subsidiarymanipulations which do not affect the running of the main part of themachine provide for the removal of the finished product from time totime. Hereinafter this product will be spoken of as wire for convenienceand the member on which the product is wound in the final operation ofthe machine will be spoken of as a block.

In accordance with the invention we combine with the ordinary block, onwhich the wire is wound, a second block, or the equivalent, coaxial withthe first and capable of being rotated at a speed which may be differentfrom that of the first and started and stopped as required, and g aguide member, mounted on a carrier located between the two blocks andalso rotatable about the axis of the blocks at a speed which may bedifferent from that oi the first block and may be variable.

For reasons previously indicated, the first block will generally rotatecontinuously at constant speed throughout the operation '01 the machineand the second block will rotate intermittently in the oppositedirection to that of the first and will be stopped at intervals to allowof the removal of a quantity of wire. The wire in passing irom the firstblock to the second goes over the guide member and this is rotated withits carrier at an appropriate speed to carry out the transfer of thewire from the first block to the second. The guide member may comprise asmall grooved pulley which is free to rotate on 5 its axis in a planewhich is substantially tangential to the cylindrical surfaces of theblocks. The guide is mounted on a projecting arm so as to lie outsidethe radius of the blocks and the arm is mounted on a suitable hearing orsupport so as to rotate about the axis of the blocks.

The invention is further described with reference, by way of example, tothe accompanying illustrations wherein:

Figures 1 and la represent side views of an arrangement, in accordancewith the invention, applied to a wire-drawing machine;

Figures 2 and 2a are plan views;

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are part-sectional views of three forms ofconstruction 01' the blocks.

In the arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2 a winding device inaccordance with the invention is mounted at the delivery end of awiredrawing machine. The device comprises the first, or lower, block I,an intermediate guide carrier 2 and the second, or upper, block 3,mounted one above the other so as to be rotatable, in a mannerhereinafterv described, about a common vertical axis. An arm 4projecting from the carrier 2 carries an intermediate guide member 5 inthe form of a small grooved pulley which is located outside the radiusof the blocks. The pulley 5 is free to revolve on its axis in a planewhich is substantially tangential to the cylindrical surface of theblocks, and is adapted to be rotated by the carrier 2 about the verticalaxis of the blocks. Two such guide members 5 are shown mounteddiametrically opposite to one another upon the guide carrier 2; one onlyof these, however, is brought into operation at any 0 time. A wire 6,having passed over the final cap stan wheel I of the wire-drawingmachine and through a finishing die 8, is directed to and passed severaltimes around the first block I. The latter, being positively andcontinuously driven by, means located with its support 9, serves to drawthe wire 6 through the final reducing die 8. From the first block I thewire 6 is led over the guide pulley 5 to the second block 3 about whichit is wrapped in the direction opposite to that in which it is wrappedupon the first block I. From the second block 3 the wire 6 passes to areeling or similar device which in the example shown comprises arotatable bobbin Ill mounted in a stand II with its axis horizontal, thewire 6 being directed to the bobbin In by suitable guides I2 and I3. Thedirection of movement of the wire 6 is indicated by the arrows.

Instead of passing from the second block 3 to a reeling or other coilingdevice, the wire 3 may be allowed to accumulate upon this second blockwhich may be stopped periodically in the manner hereinafter described topermit the removal of the accumulated wire.

The speed of the rotation of the carrier 2 must be so chosen that theguide member 5 uncoils the wire 6 from the first block I at the samerate as that at which it coils the wire on the second block 3. Generallythe two blocks I and 3 will be of approximately the same diameter,although this is mainly a matter of convenience. Assuming that thiscondition exists and that the circumferential slip of the wire on eitherof the blocks is neglible, the following are examples of appropriatespeeds. In each case the speed of the first block I is represented as100. y In the first example the speed of the second block 3 is equal andopposite to that of the first block I, -l00. In this case-theappropriate speed for the carrier 2 is zero, that is to say, the guide Istands still and the transfer of the wire 3 is effected by the movementsof the two blocks I and 3 past it in opposite directions. In the secondex-' ample the second block 3 is running at a speed opposite to andgreater than that of the first block I and is represented by -140. Theappropriate speed of the guide carrier 2 is in this case that is to say,it is moving in the same direction as the second block 3 at a relativelyslow speed. In the third example the second block 3 is stationary. Theappropriate speed for the carrier 2 is then 50, being in the samedirection as that of the first block I. It will be seen that, on theassumptions made, the'speed of the carrier 2 is always halfway betweenthe speeds of the two blocks I and 3, taking into account the directionsof rotation as affecting the sign of the number indicating the speed.

Continuing with the same assumptions, an indication will be given of thecycle of speed changes during the working of the machine. The firstblock I will be considered to be running steadily at 100. In the initialcondition the second block 3 is stationary and the guide carrier 2 isrunning at about half speed in the same direction as the first block I.The wire 3 coming from the machine is then being coiled on the firstblock I at a rate represented by 100 and being removed therefrom by theguide member 3 at a rate represented by and being supplied to the secondblock 3 at this same rate. Accordingly the wire is being accumulated onthe two blocks I and 3 at equal rates. The second block 3 is then run upto speed in the opposite direction and is given a speedsomewhat higherthan that of the first block I. While this is taking place the guidecarrier 2 is slowed down to zero and is than reversed and continues torun at a slow rate in the opposite direction. Under these conditions thetransfer of wire 6 from the first block I to the second block 3 takesplace slightly more rapidly than the winding on of the wire 3 to thefirst block I. This procedure is carried on sufllciently long totransfer to the second block 3 the surplus wire accumulated on the firstblock I during the stoppage, in addition to the quantity given from thewire-drawing machine while the second block 3 is running. When theappropriate quantity has passed on to the second block 3 this can bestopped temporarily to permit of the removal of the appropriate quantityof wire from the machine. This quantity may either have been allowed toaccumulate on the second block 3, or may have been drawn therefromcontinuously to a third block or reeling device on a separate axis suchas the bobbin I3. In either case, in order to cut the wire and removeit, it is necessary to stop the second block for a short time. It willbe seen that this can be done without interfering with the running ofthe first block.

From the preceding description of the speed changes to be given to thevarious members will be recognized the general requirements of thedrives thereof. Hereinafter some indication of practical methods ofobtaining the desired results will be given together with descriptions,by way of example, of several forms of apparatus illustrated in Figures3, 4, and 5 whereby these methods may be carried out.

The driving of the first block I continuously presents no difiiculty andin the constructions shown the drive is eflected by keying this block toan axially arranged driving shaft. The first, or lower, block I, asshown in Figure 3, consists of a substantially hollow cylindrical memberformed upon a central boss ll keyed by means of a key II upon a centralvertical driving shaft I6. In the usual manner this block I is formedwith a lower peripheral flange I1 and the outer cylindrical wall tapersslightly from the flange I'l upwards. The continuous drive to the firstblock I is effected by the driving shaft II. The second block 3 ismounted above the first block I on an extension of the shaft I6 aboutwhich it is freely rotatable. It is preferable that the second block 3be made as light as possible, for which purpose it may consist of asubstantially hollow body of aluminium with an outer steel fleeting ringI3 shrunk thereon. The body portion comprises a central hollow boss I3carrying upper and lower ball-bearings 23 and 2I whereby the block ismounted free to rotate on the upper portion of the shaft I3, and anouter cylindrical support 22 for the fleeting ring I3, perforated forthe purpose of lightness. The fleeting ring I8 is formed with a lowerperipheral flange 23 and the cylindrical outer surface tapers gentlyupwards therefrom.

Between the first and second blocks is located the guide carrier 2comprising an annular plate 24 provided on the underside with an annularfriction disc 25 which rests upon the upper end face of the first blockI whereby the guide carrier is supported forming a slipping frictionalconnection between the two blocks. The guide carrier 2 is mounted so asto be freely rotatable on the shaft it which it engages by means of aball-bearing 26 located in a central boss 21. The periphery of thecarrier 2 is in the form of a shallow cylindrical fiange 23. whichbridges the gap between the first and second blocks with sumcientclearance to permit relative rotation of those members.

Mounted onthe carrier 2 is the freely rotatable guide pulley 3 having aperipheral groove 23 formed by two radial flanges 33. As previouslydescribed, the guide pulley 3 is located outside the radius of theblocks upon a radial extension 4 (Fig. 2) of the carrier 2 in such amanner that it is freely rotatable in a plane substantially tangentialto the cylindrical external surface of the blocks. A curved guide plate3| is located lust clear of the periphery of the guide pulley l toprevent the wire from climbing over the pulley flanges 30 and thusbecoming detached from" the guide.

In this particular construction the second block 3 serves primarily as atransmission member for the wire coming from thefirst block I andpassing to a reeling device, such as described above with reference. toFigures 1 and 2, or to a third block arranged on axis parallel with thatof the shaft I6. The second block 3 in this case is rotated on the shaftI6 by the pull of the wire being drawn therefrom. The necessary tensionis applied to the block 3 by means of a tension ring 32 keyed on to theend of the driving shaft I6 above the block and engaging at its outeredge a friction ring 33 fixed to the top of the block and forming aslipping frictional connection between the two blocks. The tension iscontrolled by means of a nut 34 engaging the screwthreaded end of theshaft I6 and serving to compress a spring 35-down on to the centre ofthe tension ring 32. The guide carrier 2 tends to rotate with the firstblock I by virtue of the engagement of the friction ring 25 on theunderside of the guide carrier with the top of this block. A compressionspring 36 located about the shaft I6 is adapted to be pressed down on tocarrier bearing 26 by means of an adjustable nut 31 threaded upon theshaft I6, thereby to control the frictional engagement between the guidecarrier and the first block. Thus the guide carrier 2, which has torotate at a speed intermediately between that of. the two blocks, asalready mentioned, receives its driving motion from the movement of thefirst block I. The actual speed of rotation of the guide carrier duringtransference of the wire, is always less than that of the first block,pull in the wire as it passes over the guide pulley from the first tothe second block serving to overcome the slipping o frictional couplingwhich, however, determines the tension in the wire.

Cooling of the apparatus is effected by the provision in the lower partof the first block I of an impeller 38 which creates an axial flow ofair through the apparatus whilst the first block is rotating.

By an alternative method the wire may be allowed to accumulate upon thesecond block in appropriate quantities for removal from time to time,thus eliminating any subsequent reeling or winding device. In this casea drive may be applied directly to the second block 3. This may beeffected by a shaft passing through the hollow driving shaft of thefirst block or it may be done through a driving coupling, which isdisconnected when the second block is stopped so as to permit theremoval of the accumulated wire over the end of the .block. In theexample of such an arrangement illustrated in Figure 4 the constructionof the first block I, the carrier 2 and the drive theretois'similartothat already described with reference to Figure 3. Thedriving shaft I6, however, is hollowand terminates at the bottombearing. 2| for the second block 3. A second driving shaft 39 for thesecond block 3 passes freely through and extends upwards beyond the endof the first driving shaft I6. These two shafts provide independentdriving means for the two blocks, which may thus be positively driven atdifferent speeds of rotation and independently controlled. Fixed to theupper end of the second shaft 39 is a collar 40 which provides a seatingfor the upper bearing 20 of the second block 3. To the inside of thesecond block 3 is fastened a frame H which encloses and extends abovethe end of the second shaft 39 and which is apertured to accommodate acylindrical stem 42. The stem 42 is located above and axially in linewith the second shaft 39 and is capable of turning and sliding movementwith respect to the frame M. The lower end of the stem 42 is formed witha flange 43 provided with downwardly extending projections adapted tointerengage with upstanding projections on the collar 46 to form adog-clutch 44. On the upper end of the stem 42 is fixed a handle 45which also is provided with downwardly extending projections adapted tointerengage with upwardly extending projections on the frame H to formanother dog-clutch 46. Both clutches 44 and 46 are maintained inengagement by means of a compression spring 41 which surrounds the lowerend of the stem 42 and bears against the frame 4| and the flange 43 onthe end of the stem. In order to disengage the clutches 44 and 46 it isnecessary to raise the handle 45 against the pressure of the spring 41and to turn it until the co-engaging projections forming the upperclutch 46 abut against one another. In this position the projectionsforming the lower clutch 44, which are shorter than those of the upperclutch 46, are maintained clear of one another. Thus, when the clutchesare engaged, there is a drive to the second block 3 from the seconddriving shaft 39 through the collar 40, the stem 42 and the frame M. Thedrive to the second block may be interrupted periodically by stoppingthe second driving shaft for the purpose of removing accumulated wirefrom this block. Meanwhile wire will accumulate on the first block I,but this is readily transferred to the second block bytemporarilyincreasing the speed'of this block on restarting. It will beseen that by disengaging the clutch connection between the sec- 0ndshaft 39 and the second block 3, the latter becomes a freely rotatablemember and the apparatus may function in a manner similar to thatillustrated in Figure 3.

Another convenient method of driving com prises making the two blocksand the guide carrier, directly or indirectly, parts of an epicyclicgear of the so-called differential type. An ar-' rangement embodying atoothed wheel epicyclic gear is illustrated by way of example in Figure5. This arrangement is similar in external appearance to that describedwith reference to Figure 3, the drive being effected by means of a solidshaft I6 passing vertically upwards through the axisof the device and towhich the first block I is keyed. The upper part of the first block I isrecessed (48) to accommodate a similarly-recessed annular portion 49 ofthe guide carrier 2. Within the guide carrier is located an arm 50 keyedto and consequently adapted to rotate with the driving shaft I6. Avertical shaft 5I mounted in ball-bearings 52 in the arm 56 carries twotoothed planet wheels, an upper one 53 and a lower one 54, both fixed tothe common shaft 5| and consequently adapted to rotate together. Thelower planet wheel 54 engages with a toothed gear wheel 55 formed on theboss 56 ,of the guide carrier 2, the latter being supported by a bearing51 so as to rotate on the driving shaft I6 clear of the first block I.The upper planet wheel 53 is accommodated in a recessed part 58 in thelower portion of the second block 3 and engages a toothed gear wheel 59formed on a downwardly extending portion 60 of the inner part 66 of atwo part central boss of the second block 3. The inner part 66 of thecentral boss engages the upper extension of the driving shaft l6 bymeans of upper and lower ball-bearings 62 and 63 in the manner similarto that described with reference to Figure 3. The external surface ofthe inner part 66 is in the form of an upwardly tapering cone. The outerpart 61 of the central boss is in the form of a conical member, whichsurrounds and frictionally engages the outer conical surface of theinner member 66, and upon which the second block 3 is formed. In thisconstruction the first block I and the arm 50 which carries the planetwheels 53 and 54, being keyed to the driving shaft It, always rotatetogether. The second block 3 is rotated by the pull of the wire beingdrawn therefrom as described above. The rotation of the guide carrier 2is effected by virtue of the engagement between the planet wheels 53 and54 and the gears formed on the bosses of the carrier and second block 3,the relative sizes of these gears being so chosen that the speed ofrotation of the carrier 2 is always halfway between the speeds of thetwo blocks for the purpose described above.

In practice there may always be some slipping of the wire on the blocks,and it may be necessary to incorporate a slipping clutch or similarlyacting device to accommodate this. Thus in the arrangement shown in Fig.5 the driving connection between the second block 3 and the differentialgear already described is effected through a friction clutch formed bythe interengaging conical members 66 and 61. The frictional engagementmay be adjusted by means of a nut 68 which engages a screw-threadedextension 69 formed on the inner member 56 of the clutch and whichserves to press a compression spring 10 down on to the outer member 61.In this case a braking tension may also be applied to the second block 3by means of a tension ring 32 pressed by a nut 34 and spring down on toa brake ring 33 located on the top of the block, in the manner alreadydescribed with reference to Figure 3, and forming the slippingfrictional connection between the two blocks.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. A wire winding device comprising a first block, a second blockco-axial with the first block, the said second block being rotatableindependently of the said first block, a carrier located between thefirst block and the second block and rotatable about the axis of theblocks at a speed which may be different from the speed of rotation ofeither block, a guide carried by the said carrier-serving to transferthe wire from one block to the other, and slipping frictional connectingmeans between the first block and one of the other two rotatable memberscontrolling their speed in relation to that of the first block, therebydetermining the tension in the Wire.

2. A wire winding device comprising a first block, a second blockco-axial with the first block, the said second block being rotatableindependently of the said first block, a carrier located between thefirst block and the second block and rotatable about the axis of theblocks at a speed which may be different from the speed of rotation ofeither block, a guide carried by the said carrier serving to transferthe wire from one block to the other, an annular friction mem berinterposed between adjacent relatively movable surfaces of the saidfirst block and the carrier, and an adjustable spring engaging thecarrier serving to control the frictional engagement between thefriction member and the said adjacent surfaces.

3. A wire winding device comprising a first block, a second blockco-axial with the first block,

the said second block being rotatable independ-.

ently of the said first block, a carrier located between the first blockand the second block and rotatable about the axis of the blocks at aspeed which may be different from the speed of rotation of either block,a guide carried by the said carrier serving to transfer the wire fromone block to the other, a brake-disc located above and in engagementwith the upper surface of the second block, the brake-disc being securedto the upper end of the driving spindle for the first block, and anadjustable spring maintaining the brake disc in engagement with thesecond block. a

4. A wire winding device comprising a first block, a second blockco-axial with the first block, the said second block being rotatableindependently of the said first block, a carrier located between thefirst block and the second block and rotatable about the axis of theblocks at a speed which may be different from the speed of rotation ofeither block, a guide carried by the said carrier serving to transferthe wire from one block to the other, slipping frictional connectionmeans between the first block and one of the other two. rotatablemembers controlling their speed in relation to that of the first block,and an impeller formed in the structure of one of the blocks creating anaxial flow of air through the device.

5. A wire winding device comprising a first block, a second blockco-axial with the first block, the said second block being rotatableindependently of the said first block, a carrier located between thefirst block and the second block and rotatable about the axis of theblocks at a speed which may be different from the speed of rotation ofeither block, a guide carried by the said carrier serving to transferthe wire from one block to the other, slipping frictional connectingmeans between the first block and one of the other two rotatable memberscontrolling their' speed in relation to that of the first block, and anepicyclic, differential gear interconnecting and controlling therelative direction of movement of the blocks and carrier.

EDWARD SPENCER HARGREAVES. WALDO JOHN CLEMENTS. WILLIAM AUSTIN BROWN.ANTHONY LAWRENSON.

